Colorado Lieutenant Governor Visits Space Foundation

Lt. Gov. Garcia Supports STEM Education in Colorado

Colorado Lt. Gov. Joseph Garcia visited the new headquarters of the Space Foundation in Colorado Springs on July 20 and also toured the Space Foundation Discovery Institute, where he praised the work the Space Foundation has done to help teachers excite students' interest in science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM).

"You are providing incredible value to our education system," said Garcia. "It's important to inspire teachers to inspire students, and exploration is a great way to excite students about science."

Garcia has had a long career in education. Before being elected lieutenant governor, Garcia was president of Colorado State University-Pueblo, where he also served as co-chair of the Governor's P-20 Education Task Force, helping guide the development of a significant education reform agenda. He served as one of three Colorado commissioners on the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE), an organization he now chairs.

Garcia was previously president of the second-largest community college in Colorado, Pikes Peak Community College (PPCC). Before coming to PPCC, he was a White House appointee serving as the Secretary's Representative for the Rocky Mountain States for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

While visiting the Space Foundation Discovery Institute, Garcia emphasized his belief in the importance of educating Colorado students in subjects that will prepare them for technical jobs in the state.

"This is important," he said, "We're losing our competitive edge in this country."